Process and apparatus for catalytic reactions and adsorptions



July 24, 195] Filed May 5, 1944 S. R. FUNSTE'N PROCESS AND APPARATUS FORCATALYTIC REACTIONS AND ADSORPTIONS 4 Sheets-Sheet l T FRBCT/ONB 7-0/2c'armysr 3 FEED HOPPEIQ STE/1M REACTOR INVENTOR.

A T TOIQNE y,

July 24, 1951 s. R. FUNSTEIN 2,561,852

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CATALYTIC REACTIONS AND ADSORPTIONS Filed May5, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FRaM REGE CA ra 1..)5 T FEED HOPPER SPENTC/JTHLYS 5 BIN Rem/6 STOCK VHPDR To REGENERFITOR I 1 N V EN TOR.STEM/7R0 12 F1 5 TEN HTrmaA/Ey.

July 24, 195] s. R. FUNSTEIN 2,561,852 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FORCATALYTIC REACTIONS AND ADSORPTIONS Filed May 5, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 5FRO M CF) THL Y5 7' FEE 0 HOPPER Ila/ 012 OUTLET o KEGENEKHTOR CHT/ILYST BIN INVENTOR. ST/JNHED, R Fuxvs TEN July 24, 1951 Filed May 5,1944 S.R.FUNSTEN PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CATALYTIC REACTIONS ANDADSORPTIONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fl T TO RNEY.

Patented July 24, 1951 PROCESS AND APPARA REACTION S AND Stanard R.Funsten, Pasadena, Calif., assignor to Filtrol Corporation,

L poration of Delaware TUS FOR CATALYTIC- ADSQRPTIONS s Angeles, Calif.,a, cor- Application May 5, 1944, Serial No. 534,359

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for carrying outchemical reactions and adsorption iIlVOlViIlg the use of surface-activematerials which may act either as adsorbents or catalysts, in which thesolid active material is moved counter-current to the passage of vaporsundergoing adsorption or reaction through multiple beds of said materialmaintained in superimposed position and with provisionsmade forseparating the several superimposed zones from each other to direct thepassage of gases or vapors from zones to obtain the desired contact.

Provision is also made on each bed for the continuous disruption and thesimultaneous recreation of each bed and for the continuous andcontrolled passage of the reactant vapors or ases through eachconstantly disrupted and recreated bed.

My process and apparatus also comprehend provision for the continuousand uniformly controlled movement of said surface-active material fromzone-bed to zone-bed, for the continuous and contolled removal of spentmaterial from the end reaction zone, for the continuous and controlledfeed of said active material into each of the said zones of adsorptionor reaction, and for the continuous, complete, and intimatecountercurrent contacting of all of said vapors or gases with all ofsaid surface-active material while said material, passes through each ofthe superimposed reaction zones.

My process also comprehends the regeneration or desorption of the spentor inactive surfaceactive material in a separate regeneration zone, inwhich is also provided multiple zones. In each of said zones ispositioned a, bed of such spent material, preferably in superimposedrelationshi to each other. The material passes incontrolled and uniformmovement from zone to zone. Means are provided for sealing each zonefrom the contiguous zones against the passage of regeneration gasestherein between. Means are also provided for continuously disrupting andsimultaneously recreating the beds of the spent material in each zone.Regenerating or adsorptive gases are supplied uniformly and undercontrolled conditions into each zone.

Provision is also made in my regeneration or desorptive stages for theindependent removal of the products of regeneration or desorptionseparately from each of the said regeneration zones and for the separateintroduction ofsaid regeneration or desorption vapors or gases into eachof said multiple zones of regeneration or desorption.

salvage.

Provision is also made for the continuous, controlled, and uniformwithdrawal of the regenerated material from the end regeneration zoneand for the continuous controlled and uniform introduction of spentmaterial into the said superimposed multi-regeneration zones.

Provision may also be made in said zones for the control of temperatureby introducing a suitable temperature modifying medium into said zoneseitherin suitable embedded coils in the zone beds or hearths orotherwise, and if water was used in such coils as the temperaturemodifying medium, the effluent might be-adjoined to a con- Ventionalboiler system of suitable design for In processes involving surfacereactions, whether they be either or both adsorptive or catalytic, animportant problem is the uniform d.istribu tion of vapor andsurface-active solid material throughout the zones of reaction so thatthe vapors contact the solid material and without channellin and withoutany by-passing of areas or quantities ofthe surface-active material. Toput this otherwise, the ratio of the volume of the sur-. face-activereagent to the volume of the vapors undergoing reaction, particularly inthe process of catalysis, is one of the critical controls necessary inall such reactions.

Where the reactant vapors pass through a catgo alyst so that a portionof thecatalyst is in contact with none or with a smaller or greateramount of vapors than the average ratio through out the whole or entirezone of reaction, then the resultant characteror the quantity of reaction which may be obtained may be substantially different than in a zoneof reaction wherein the vapors and the catalysts are subjected tocontact in more close approximation of such ratio. Vapors and gasespassing through a bed of solid material will tend to channel and seekthe course of least resistance through the bed, and this is true evenwhere the bed moves as a body through the zone of contact. My inventionovercomes this H faulty operation.

W, By my invention, not only is harmful chan nellin completely avoidedbutthe full utilization of all of the surface-active material is alsoreadily attained. These novel results are induced by the controlled andcontinual disturbance together with the uniform recreation of the beds,thereby disrupting any possible channels of migration of the reactantvapors and gas, and such continuing disruption of the beds isaccompanied and simultaneously with the immediaterecreation of i new anduniform beds of surface-active material.

In my process also there is a continual physical all of the particles ofhigh surface activity in said bed. As a result thereof new surfaces anduncontactedmaterial in each zone are exposed to vapors or gases enteringthe zone. The result of this agitation, disruption, and recreation ofthe bed is a more uniformcontact or reaction across the bed and a muchcloser regulation of the ratio of the volume of reactants to the volumeof surface-active material engaging insaid reaction.

, agitation or controlled mechanical movement of My process alsoeliminates other types aof harmful operating variations in reaction inthe bed. This is particularly so for tempe laturevariations throughoutthe bed, thereby 'permittinga more closely controlled and more nearlyisothermal contact throughout each bedpthus making it readily possibleto utilize fully all of thesurface-active material underthe preferredconditions of reaction or adsorption.

What has been said for the zone of reaction also applies in largemeasure to the zone of regeneration ordesorption; In the zone of regeneration, provision is made inmy process for the separate removal, fromeach of the multiple regeneration zones, of the vapor and gas productsof desorption or regeneration so that the spent gases or vaporsresulting from regeneration or desorption from one bed are not passed tocontiguous beds orcounter-currently through the succeeding beds of theentire charge of the spent material being regenerated. In addition, Ipropose that the regenerating gases be introduced incremently into thespent material by separate introduction of fresh regenerating ordesorption vapors or gases intoeach zone or into groups of zone-beds ina controlled volume and at a controlled temperature. By this method ahigher each of the of the reaction or conversion chambers of thereactor. Its passage through the reactor is generally countercurrenttothe passage of the catalyst.

' To described further this single application of my inventionin generalterms, the surface-active or catalytic conversion material iscontinuously fed as by a screw conveyor, belt, or other-means intochain-driven bucket-elevator B of Figure l, thence to catalyst feedhoppers 3,.from which the catalyst is withdrawn at a controlled rateintoreactor l,-which will be described hereinafter. Emerging fromreactor l, the catalytic materialis routed at a controlled rate into disconcentration of regenerating gasesle. g. as higherconcentration ofoxygen) can be brought into contact with the spent material beingregenerated than is possible or permissible where all of 1 theregenerating gases pass either counter-currently or concurrently throughthe whole body of the material undergoing regeneration or desorption. VI

A particularly useful application ofmy invention is in the continuouscatalytic conversion of petroleum vapor into high octane gasoline andother products. This application, as well as the general principles ofmy process and apparatus, will be further described in connection withthe drawings of which:

Figure 1 is. a diagrammatic method of the application of my invention tosuch catalytic process.

Figure 2 is reactor.

Figure 3 is a vertical section of a multi-zoned regenerator. a

Figure. 4 is a section Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section taken along line 55 of Figure 2. l.

In Figure l the solid surface-active material previously mentioned andin the form useful as a catalyst is circulated continuously through thereactor I, thence through regenerator 2, and thence after regenerationthe revivified catalytic material is continuously fed back into reactorl for reuse. As a catalytic reagent passes downwardly into and out ofeach of the reaction zones or conversion chambers, heated petroleumvapors pass upwardly through thereactor, as will be taken along line 4-4of subsequently described, and transversely through 75 Opening averticalsection of a multi-zoned the regenerator into bin l. The regeneratedmaterial is withdrawn from bin l by a conveyor into elevator 8 wherebythe cycle is completed.

To further continue the broad description of" this application of myinvention, any type of charging stock which maybe cracked, such as a gasoil, is routed through line 9 into heater i where it would be vaporizedand possibly then freed of any possible heavy tar content, and

while in its vapor phase and hereinafter termed reactant, it would befed into reactor I through linell. After passage of such vapors throughreactor I, as will be subsequently described, and wherein they aresubjected to catalytic conversion, the converted vapors emerge from there actor through line !2, whence they pass to the usual fractionationzone it.

The reactor in Figure 2 consists of zones l5,- mounted one above theother and each separated from the other by hearths l5, which may be ofany suitable heat-resisting brick or tile construetion or may be ofmetal. These beds are structurally supported upon the reactor walls.

Feed leg 22 from catalyst feed hoppers 3 is of sufficient length toprovide, when filled with cata1yst,'a seal against the passage ofreactant vaoxygen. I

Mounted centrally in the reactor is a hollow shaft M, which is supportedatthe-top and bottom of the reactor by suitable bearings, The shaft isrevolved at a suitable speed by gearing ll driven by motor l8.

Shaft I4 extends upwardly through the hearths I5. The vertical dam ll isprovided concentric with the shaft It and of a suitable height. Adependent baffle I8 is mounted on the shaft .44 concentric with the dam.This combined structure prevents the passage of the catalyst between theshaft and the hearths. It also minimizes any passage of vapors betweenthe shaft and the hearths.

Mounted to shafting M in each zone are a number of rotating rabblingarms l6. Four of such rabbling arms are shown in each conversion zone,but either a larger or smaller number may be used either in any one zoneor in all zones. These rabbling arms are of hollow tubular construction.These arms communicate through an IS with the shaft. The reactant vaporsp ss rou h t esh t a s th ou h ther ble arm and through the hollowrabblingbr reactant-feeding teeth I9. A plurality of such teeth. aremounted along the rabblearm, uni formly spaced along the arms. Thereactant passes from the hollow section of the rabble arms into and outof the rabbling teeth and emerges into the mass of surface-active orcatalytic macured to the reactor walls, thefeed bar engages with thesupply of catalytic material deposited on feed; shelf 25, as it e1'.1,?ges from feed leg 22 orthe downcomers 3t, and the catalytio materialthereon is fed to the bed of the conversion zones. Similarly inalternate zones downcomers 2'! positioned near the shaft I4. Each suchdowncorner carries a shelf 25. Across each shelf passes a feed bar 28mounted uponthe shaft IA. The purpose for this method of feed ofcatalytic material to the upper zone and similarly for the underlyingzones, in. which the same feeding mesh anism is used, is to control andsecure uniformity in the feed of catalyst to each zone from the zonelying next above and is also to provide a pressure seal against thepassage of reactant va' pors upward through either feed leg 22 and in asimilar fashion through all of the other inter t Weiollewine c al st mri h h is rabbled forward-by thef followin arm. Addi tionalralges' orarms supported on the rotating shaft maybe,provided to move the,materialjso as to fill in behind the teeth.

,need occur.until the bars 26 and 28 sweep across the mound anddischarge the depositedcatalyst to the hearth below.

Ihe catalyst is then slowly rabbled transversely, across. such.successive beds until. the

catalystemerges iromthe bottom catalytic zone of the reactor, throughdischarge leg 3| and into spent catalystbin 4 from which it is thencontinuonsly, withdrawn, as previously described, through line 5, forregeneration and re-use.

Orispent catalyst, discharge leg 3i, there is interposed a steampressure seal. 32-33, which serves dually, totpurge the emergingcatalyst of any entrained orfsuspended reaction products and also toprevent by pressure diiference the emergence of reactantivapors from thereactor.

As previously described, the heated reactant vaporischarged to line H,which is connected with theopen. central section of. reactor shafting I4through a hollow thrust bearing Ila. The reactant vapors are charged, ata pressure sufficient for proper passage through the reactor,

zone down holes 3t and 27 located in the zones of the reactor. This sealis maintained by the height of the column of catalyst equal tothe depthof the bed, the height of the downcomer, and the mound on the shelvesZlland 29.

The feeding and rabbling teeth I9 previously mentioned are mounted tothe rotor arms I6 at a suitable angle so as to provide for a rabblingmovement outwardly of the bedding of catalytic material on the hearthsof the chambers in which the drop holes 30 are located near the outerWalls of the reactor, and in the alternately superimposed zones, therabbling teeth are mounted at anopposite angle on the revolving rotorsarms so as to rabble the surface-active material inwardly in such zonesto the multi drop holes 21, which in the alternately situated zonesunderneath are located in close proximity to the rotor shaft drive.

By the use of the above noted procedure, the

catalytic material is subjected to an agitation and simultaneously isalso being slowly propelled, raked, or rabbled by the rabbling blades onthe rotor in the upper zone toward the center of the bed of the upperconversion zone andsubsequently on the alternately placed underlyingzone to a series of drop holes 21 positioned near the center of thereactor.

The catalyst thus moves across the hearths in theconversion zones andpasses tothe succeeding hearths. The disturbed beds are re-constitutedso as to insure contact between the teeth and the material of the bed.The vapors thus pass from the orifices in theteeth through the bed ofmaterial surrounding the teeth. The reconstitution of the bed isassisted by the shape of the teeth, which may be plow-like in character,which act to turn over the rabbled material in the beds so as to causethe material to fill in behind the teeth. It isfurther assisted by intohollow shaft I4 and emergefrom the shaft I 4, through orifice I9 intothe hollow rotorarms I6. A seal ZI. in the form of a diaphragmis ..positioned'in shaft above opening I9, prevents-thefurther upward movementof the reactantvapor in shaft I4. Vapor passes into the hollowlengthwise central section of the rotor arms. The reactant. emerges fromthe hollow section ofthe rotor arms through the. pluralityofrabblingfeed bladesor teeth I9, spaced along the entirelength of eachof the rotorarms, and through the slowly moving catalyst bodies on thebed and are thereby brought into intimate contact with the activeparticles of the bed of thewcatalytic material, which, is being slowlymoved and rabbled on thefioor of each conersion z n The reactant,leaving the bed of the catalytic materialgascends to the disengagingspace in the upper section of each of the reaction or con- U versionzones, exits from theconversion zones through aseries of. suitableopenings, such as orifices or slotsjll in shaft I4; and again. entersinto the open central section of shaft I4, in which the; reactantagaintravels upwardly until again it encounters a seal 2| in the shaft I4.This seal [similarly directs the reactant again into the hollow rotorarms for repeated emergence through the reactant feed and rabblingteeth. Thelvapors. are sealed. off from the upper beds by the bedofmaterial on the shelves 28 and 25 and by the height of the column ofmaterial in the downcomers 21 and 30. The space between thenestingbaflies I1 and I8 and the bed of clay. contiguous thereto sealtheclearance between the shaft and the bed against vapor leakage. Theconverted reactant exits from the upper catalytic conversion zone of thereactor through line I2 for subsequent subjection to the usualfractionation, etc., as previously mentioned. A

'As an example of one operation for cracking, the reactant gas oilkerosene naphtha vapor emergesjrgmheater Iflandcontactsthe surfaceactivecatalyst in the bottom catalytic chamber? of the reactor l at atemperature ranging from 800 to 1000?. F., and at a, pressure sufficientto overcome the pressure drop through theflreactor and forfractionation. th j u In this particular example of my invention, mychoice of optional surface-actiye 'or catalytic material is quite largeand includes amjong others such products as virgin or'chemicallyprocessed bentonites, bauxite, sub-bentonites of the montmorillonitefamily, and the lil e,,either' by themselves or promoted by combinationwith such metals asvanadium, tungsten, molybdenum, jeobalt,aluminumchromium, etc, or their oxides, I may also mpi y these salts, orin other forms. oxides as mixed gels, as for instance, a'silica aluminagel or silica magnesium gel,;ete.. 1?ref-j erably and for'thisillustration fmy', invention.

I select an activated sub-bentonite in granular orpelleted form whichmight ,be. approximately of diameter and length but either larger'lorsmaller forms or shapes f different] surface active or catalyticmaterialsgmay alsofbeused Y injmy ention. 1 t

As one method, to prepare such Qacat'alytic conversion media with'therequiredhighsu'rface activity, a selected .subQ -bentonite'clay of themontmorillonite "family may be .subjec ted to coarse grinding, It mayjthen be treated' with sulphuric acid of concentration of"from fi5% ;to60% employing from .lbs. to 15 0. lbs]. hydrous acid per lOOlbs, ofclay, The.

and are removed to .form thehydrogenmont' morillonite. There is alsoremovaljofRzoa(A1203),

f,.3 eleiu and magnesium in th 1 y arebase' exchanged artists ble arms43', through orifices either in the side or at the bottom, or both, ofrabbling teeth 56.

For its regeneration and asdiagrammatically' shown in Figures 1 and 3,the spent surfaceactive or catalytic or adsorbent material from thereactor is conveyed by bucket-elevator in line 5 to either one or morethan one feedhoppers 6, from which the spent material is withdrawnthrough leg 46 at a controlled rate by feeder mechanism 41 and 4B, whichare of similar construction and operation to feeder mechanism and 26,described previously under Figure 2. Feed leg 46 from feed hopper.

6 is of sufficient length to provide, when filled with spent .catalystby pressure drop, a seal against the passage of regeneration ordesorption products, such as ignition or combustion vapor, from.theregenerator. This is aided and I supplemented by a purging pressureseal, as by steam as shown by 46', and 46" operating on leg 46; Thespent material to be regenerated falls to feeder shelf 41 and, aspreviously described, forms a seal, preventing the escape ofregeneration vapors or gases out of the upper zone of the regenerator'through feed leg 46. Feeder shelves ii are located in the upper zone ofthe regenerator and also in the hearths IS:

in the alternate zones lying below. These shelves are secured to theregenerator wall.

Feed bars or knives 4c employed in these same zones are secured to eachof the rotor arms 43'.

As each of the rotor arms in these zones passes beneath the feed shelves41, feed bar 48 passes ,between the bottom outlet of feed leg 46 or and(Fezoa) and, removal of magnesium from the lattice of theraw clay, Thetemperature employed in the manufacture ofthe preferred catalyst rangesfrom 180F. to 210? FL, The time employed might range from 3 to 9 hours.vA

downcomers 52 and the feed shelf and sweeps the mass of surface-activeparticles or catalytic pellets from the feeder shelf, and the catalystfalls to the bed beneath. It is slowly agitated s and rabbled and movedacross the hearth to suitable claythus treated willcontain'from about10% to about.20% of R203]. 1

Before formation into special ranular shapes or before pelleting orimpregnating .'as above mentioned, the treated or activated clay" slurryis thoroughly washed by counter cu'rrent decantation as in thickeners ofthe Dorr typaiand the treatedsolids the thickened and washed slurryarethen separated fromthe liquid, aspy filtration, dried, and ground.After grinding: the surface-active or, catalytic material may beplasticized and/or impregnatedas inja puglmill and then pelleted tosuitable size for use in this disclosed processing and dried tofinishedgv'olatile moisture content. t

The regenerator, as shownjin Figure 3 in generalofsimilar constructionto the reactor 1,.

is for the purpose of regenerating .the spent catalyticv material fromthe reactor and consistsof a plurality of regenerating zones 4| onhearths 42, mounted one above the other. ,The. hearths or floors of thezones consist of suitable brick, tile, or metal andv are structurallysecured to: the regenerator walls. Mo'untedtcentrally in the regeneratoris a hollow shaft 43, subpOrted at the top and bottom of. theregenerator by gearing 44, driven by motor 45. n i

Mounted to shaft 43 in ,each of the zones of the regenerator areaplurality of rotatingv 'rabr-l.

suitable bearings and revolved by a suitable I bling' arms 43, carryinghollow teeth 56. These rabbling arms are hollow and communicate with thehollow shaft 43. Air or a mixture of air/and inertgas introduced by fan53 .passes through 53' through the shaft 43 into and through labanddeposited on shelf 41.

thedowncomers 49 in the hearth positioned near the "shaft 43. Thecatalyst descends through the downcomers 49 and is deposited onshelf 59mounted on the downcomer 49.

Feed bars or knives 51 are mounted on the v shaft 43 and pass betweenthe downcomers 49- and the shelves 5!], Y

The clearance between ferentialdam 5| positioned on hearths 42cooperating with. the circumferential dependent member'50'. Y

The catalyst'is thus fed through feed leg 46 It is swept from shelf 41onto the upper hearth. The material on the bed is rabbled, agitated, andmoved across the hearth by the teeth 56, which are set at a suitable.angle on arm 43, whereupon the catalyst descends through the downcomers49 to the shelves 50. The knives 51, as they are carried underneath thedowncomers 49, sweep the clay to the hearth beneath. The teeth, set

at a suitable angle on the rabble "arms, agitate and move the materialacross the hearths to the .downoomers 52 to the shelves 41. The

knives 41 then remove the material and it descends to the hearths. Inthis manner the material, moves continuously downwardly through theregenerator and across the hearths.

As previously referred to, an oxidizing gas,

such, as air or its admixture with a suitable inert gas such as fluegasris forced by fan 53 through leg 53 into the central hollow section54 of shaft 43. Openings 55 are so proportioned,

increasing in size upwardly, to pass a desired iv proportion of thegases into the rabble arms the shaft and the hearths is sealed by meansof the circumthroughthe rabbled the 'floorf'of each regeneration zone.As deregulated contact of gases and solids is on each 'bed.

becomes smaller as the on each hearth. A of the'oxidizing gases of therotorarms 43" andfrom which it'emergesfrom the bottom of Y the rabblingteeth for uniform dispersion bed of spent material' on scribed'inconnection with the operations in the reactor, the beds are continuallydisrupted and recreated, and in this manner a uniform and formed Thespent material, as it"descends "from hearth to'hearth, is regenerated bythecomb'us-- tion of the carbonaceous'material deposited on the catalystAs this contaminant is burned on each hearth, the combustion rate of thecar bon concentration of the contaminant becomes less. off. Theintroduction of fresh air, properly conditioned to give the desiredoxygen content, aids in this combustion reaction. Thus the lower andintermediate zones are contacted with oxidizing gas uncontaminated byproducts of combustion produced in lower zones as is common inconventional counter-current methods of regeneration. The products ofcombustion It is harder to burn are removed separately from each zonethrough lines 51 controlled by Valves 58.

The gases are sealed from passage from zone to zone by the seal providedby the beds of catalyst on the shelves 41 and 50 and the column ofmaterial on the downcomers 52 and 41. The nested members 50' and 5|cooperating with the bed of material on the hearths, prevents thepassage of gases between the rotating shaft 43 and the hearths.Additionally, a surficiently low pressure is maintained in the lines 51to preferentially remove products of combustion from the zones throughthe lines 51.

In order to control the exothermic heat of reaction, cooling coils 6|may be positioned in or on the zone hearths or in the regenerationzones. Water or oil may be circulated through the coils to control thetemperature. In using the catalyst previously referred to, I desire tolimit the temperature to about 900 to 1100 F., preferably 1000 F.

The regenerated material is rabbled by arm 43' and discharged throughthe discharge leg 64 and deposited into bin 1. In order to seal thisleg, a steam seal is provided by lines 65 and 66. Thus steam also actsto purge the regenerated catalyst.

While I have described particular examples of my invention for thepurpose of illustration, it should be understood that variousmodifications and adaptions thereof may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Method for carrying out catalytic reaction which comprisesmaintaining a plurality of superimposed beds of catalyst, introducingcatalysts into the upper of said beds, and discharging the spentcatalysts from the lower of said beds, rabbling said catalysts on eachbed by rotating rabble arms positioned on each of said beds, to agitatesaid beds and move the catalyst on said beds generally transverselyacross said beds, and discharging said rabbled and agitated catalystfrom said beds, and passing it to the next succeeding lower beds,introducing reactant vapors and gases into the rotating rabble arm onlower of said beds, and discharging them from said rabble arms at aplurality of points in said bed as said rabble arm passes through saidbeds, withdrawingreactant' vapors from-said bed, and introducing theminto rabble arms in the next succeeding upper bed, and thus passing themgen- :erallybountercurrent to the movement of the catalyst 'throughfsaidbeds, removing said reaotant vapors from the upper of said beds, andwithdrawing spent catalyst from the zone of reaction. l v

2. 'A reactorforcontinuous catalytic reactions comprisinga verticalshell, a vapor outletfrom the top of said shelL'hearths in said shell, avertioa-l rotatable-hollow shaft positioned centrally of said shell andpas'si g'through said hearths, downcomers iplacedp on alternate hearthsnear said shell and near said shaft on the intermediate hearths; hollowrabble" 'airns"positioned on' said hearths and communicatingWithsaidshaft, hol low rabbling teeth on said rabble arms andcommunicating with said arms, orifices in said teeth, openings in saidshaft above said rabble arms communicating with the space above thehearths, diaphragms across said hollow shaft between said openings andthe said rabble arms, a vapor inlet to the bottom of said shaft, meansto rotate said shaft, a catalyst feed hopper connected to the top hearthand a catalyst discharge conduit from the bottom .hearth.

3. In the reactor of claim 2, shelves positioned underneath saiddowncomers, feed blades positioned on said rabble arms and adapted topass between said shelves.

4. An apparatus for continuously conducting catalytic reactions and forregenerating catalyst spent in such catalytic reaction comprising areactor having a vertical shell, a plurality of hearths in said shellfor carrying beds of catalyst, a vertical hollow shaft centrallydisposed in said shell, a plurality of hollow rabble arms communicatingwith and mounted on said shaft extending outwardly therefrom over eachof said hearths, each rabble arm having a plurality of perforated hollowprojections depending downwardly toward and terminating adjacent theupper surface of the hearth associated therewith, means for introducingvapors to be reacted into one end of said hollow shaft, means effectingcommunication between the vapor space above said beds of catalyst andthe interior of said shaft located above said rabble arms, closure meansin the interior of said shaft between said means effecting communicationwith the vapor space the point where said hollow rabble arms communicatewith interior of said shaft, means for discharging said reactant vaporsfrom the upper of said hearths, means for introducing catalyst into theupper of said hearths, means for passing catalyst from each hearth tothe next succeeding lower hearth, means for discharging the catalystfrom the lower of said hearths, a regenerator for continuous re-,generation of the spent catalyst, comprising a vertical shell,regenerator hearths in said shell, gas discharge flues on said shellabove said regenerator hearths, a vertical rotatable hollow shaftpositioned centrally of said shell and passing through said regeneratorhearths, downcomers placed on alternate regenerator hearths near saidshell and near said shaft on the intermediate regenerator hearths,hollow rabble arms positioned on said regenerator hearths communicatingwith said shaft, orifices in the communication between said last-namedarms and shaft,

said orifices being larger in size in the communication between therabble arms positioned on the upper regenerator hearths than on saidlower regenerator hearths, hollow rabbling teeth on said rabble armscommunicating with said arms, orifices in said teeth, a gas inlet to the'bottomof said shaft in the regenerator, means to rotate saidregenerator shaft, a catalyst feed connected to the top regeneratorhearth, a catalyst discharge conduit from the bottom regenerator hearth,means for conveying catalyst discharged from said reactor into said feedforthe regenerator, and means for conveying-regenerated catalystdischarged from said regenerator'into said reactor. I V

' STANARD R. FUNSTEN.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Number Number 12 UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Name I Date Parker et al May19,1931 Barstow et al Apr. 5,1932 Thorp 'et a1. Nov. 16, 1937 Eckell eta1. May 23, 1939 Payne Dec. 31, 1940 Harding Dec.; 9, 1941 Houdry Feb.24,1942 Gohr et al May 25', 1943 Jewell et a1. Dec. 7, 1943 Johnson Jan.16, 1945 Ruthruff Mar. 20, 1945 Jahnig Oct. 28, 1947 Hemminger' July 13,1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Jan. 12, 1866

1. METHOD FOR CARRYING OUT CATALYTIC REACTION WHICH COMPRISESMAINTAINING A PLURALITY OF SUPERIMPOSED BEDS OF CATALYST, INTRODUCINGCATALYSTS INTO THE UPPER OF SAID BEDS, AND DICHARGING THE SPENT CATALYSTFROM THE LOWER OF SAID BEDS, RABBLING SAID CATALYSTS ON EACH BED BYROTATING RABBLE ARMS POSITIONED ON EACH OF SAID BEDS, TO AGITATE SAIDBEDS AND MOVE THE CATALYST ON SAID BEDS GENERALLY TRANSVERSELY ACROSSSAID BEDS, AND DISCHARGING SAID RABBLED AND AGITATED CATALYST FROM SAIDBEDS, AND PASSING IT TO THE NEXT SUCCEEDING LOWER BEDS, INTRODUCINGREACTANT VAPORS AND GASES INTO THE ROTATING RABBLE ARM ON LOWER OF SAIDBEDS, AND DISCHARGING THEM FROM SAID RABBLE ARMS AR A PLURALITY OFPOINTS IN SAID BED AS SAID RABBLE ARM PASSES THROUGH SAID BEDS,WITHDRAWING REACTANT VAPORS FROM SAID BED, AND INTRODUCING THEM INTORABBLE ARMS IN THE NEXT SUCCEEDING UPPER BED, AND THUS PASSING THEMGENERALLY COUNTERCURRENT TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE CATALYST THROUGH SAIDBEDS, REMOVING SAID REACTANT VAPORS FROM THE UPPER OF SAID BEDS, ANDWITHDRAWING SPENT CATALYST FROM THE ZONE OF REACTION.